the lost road-第79部分

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we　fled　in　such　haste　we　had　no　time　to　dismantle　it。　　Of　course；
you　had　no　knowledge　that　it　existed；　or；　as　a　loyal　French　woman；
you　would　have　at　once　told　them。〃　　To　emphasize　his　next　words
the　officer　pointed　at　her：　〃Under　no　circumstances；〃　he　continued；
〃must　you　be　suspected。　　If　they　should　take　Briand　in　the　act；
should　they　have　even　the　least　doubt　concerning　him；　you　must
repudiate　him　entirely。　　If　necessary；　to　keep　your　own　skirts　clear；
it　would　be　your　duty　yourself　to　denounce　him　as　a　spy。〃

〃Your　first　orders；〃　said　the　woman；　〃were　to　tell　them　Briand　had
been　long　in　my　service；　that　I　brought　him　from　my　home　in　Laon。〃

〃He　might　be　in　your　service　for　years；〃　returned　the　colonel；
〃and　you　not　know　he　was　a　German　agent。〃

〃If　to　save　myself　I　inform　upon　him；〃　said　Marie；　〃of　course　you
know　you　will　lose　him。〃

The　officer　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃A　wireless　operator；〃　he
retorted；　〃we　can　replace。　　But　for　you；　and　for　the　service　you
are　to　render　in　Paris；　we　have　no　substitute。　　You　must　not　be
found　out。　　You　are　invaluable。〃

The　spy　inclined　her　head。　　〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said。

The　officer　sputtered　indignantly。

〃It　is　not　a　compliment；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　is　an　order。　　You　must
not　be　found　out！〃

Withdrawn　some　two　hundred　yards　from　the　Paris　road；　the
chateau　stood　upon　a　wooded　hill。　　Except　directly　in　front；
trees　of　great　height　surrounded　it。　　The　tips　of　their　branches
brushed　the　windows；　interlacing；　they　continued　until　they
overhung　the　wall　of　the　estate。　　Where　it　ran　with　the　road　the
wall　gave　way　to　a　lofty　gate　and　iron　fence；　through　which　those
passing　could　see　a　stretch　of　noble　turf；　as　wide　as　a　polo…field；
borders　of　flowers　disappearing　under　the　shadows　of　the　trees；
and　the　chateau　itself；　with　its　terrace；　its　many　windows；　its
high…pitched；　sloping　roof；　broken　by　towers　and　turrets。

Through　the　remainder　of　the　night　there　came　from　the　road　to
those　in　the　chateau　the　roar　and　rumbling　of　the　army　in　retreat。
It　moved　without　panic；　disorder；　or　haste；　but　unceasingly。　　Not
for　an　instant　was　there　a　breathing…spell。　　And　when　the　sun　rose；
the　three　spiesthe　two　women　and　the　chauffeurwho　in　the　great
chateau　were　now　alone；　could　see　as　well　as　hear　the　gray　column
of　steel　rolling　past　below　them。

The　spies　knew　that　the　gray　column　had　reached　Claye；　had　stood
within　fifteen　miles　of　Paris；　and　then　upon　Paris　had　turned　its
back。　　They　knew　also　that　the　reverberations　from　the　direction
of　Meaux；　that　each　moment　grew　more　loud　and　savage；　were　the
French　〃seventy…fives〃　whipping　the　gray　column　forward。　　Of　what
they　felt　the　Germans　did　not　speak。　　In　silence　they　looked　at　each
other；　and　in　the　eyes　of　Marie　was　bitterness　and　resolve。

Toward　noon　Marie　met　Anfossi　in　the　great　drawing…room　that
stretched　the　length　of　the　terrace　and　from　the　windows　of　which；
through　the　park　gates；　they　could　see　the　Paris　road。

〃This；　that　is　passing　now；〃　said　Marie；　〃is　the　last　of　our　rear…guard。
Go　to　your　tower；〃　she　ordered；　〃and　send　word　that　except　for
stragglers　and　the　wounded　our　column　has　just　passed　through
NeufchelIes；　and　that　any　moment　we　expect　the　French。〃　　She
raised　her　hand　impressively。　　〃From　now；〃　she　warned；　〃we
speak　French；　we　think　French；　we　are　French！〃

Anfossi；　or　Briand；　as　now　he　called　himself；　addressed　her　in
that　language。　　His　tone　was　bitter。　　〃Pardon　my　lese…majesty；〃　he
said；　〃but　this　chief　of　your　Intelligence　Department　is　a　dummer
Mensch。　　He　is　throwing　away　a　valuable　life。〃

Marie　exclaimed　in　dismay。　　She　placed　her　hand　upon　his　arm；　and
the　violet　eyes　filled　with　concern。

〃Not　yours！〃　she　protested。

〃Absolutely！〃　returned　the　Italian。　　〃I　can　send　nothing　by　this
knapsack　wireless　that　they　will　not　learn　from　others；　from　airmen；
Uhlans；　the　peasants　in　the　fields。　　And　certainly　I　will　be　caught。
Dead　I　am　dead；　but　alive　and　in　Paris　the　opportunities　are　unending。
From　the　French　Legion　Etranger　I　have　my　honorable　discharge。　　I
am　an　expert　wireless　operator　and　in　their　Signal　Corps　I　can　easily
find　a　place。　　Imagine　me；　then；　on　the　Eiffel　Tower。　　From　the　air　I
snatch　news　from　all　of　France；　from　the　Channel；　the　North　Sea。
You　and　I　could　work　together；　as　in　Rome。　　But　here；　between　the
lines；　with　a　pass　from　a　village　sous…prefet；　it　is　ridiculous。　　I　am
not　afraid　to　die。　　But　to　die　because　some　one　else　is　stupid；　that　is
hard。〃

Marie　clasped　his　hand　in　both　of　hers。

〃You　must　not　speak　of　death；〃　she　cried；　〃you　know　I　must　carry　out
my　orders；　that　I　must　force　you　to　take　this　risk。　　And　you　know　that
thought　of　harm　to　you　tortures　me！〃

Quickly　the　young　man　disengaged　his　hand。　　The　woman　exclaimed
with　anger。

〃Why　do　you　doubt　me？〃　she　cried。

Briand　protested　vehemently。

〃I　do　not　doubt　you。〃

〃My　affection；　then？〃　　In　a　whisper　that　carried　with　it　the
feeling　of　a　caress　Marie　added　softly：　〃My　love？〃

The　young　man　protested　miserably。　　〃You　make　it　very　hard；
mademoiselle；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　are　my　superior　officer；　I　am　your
servant。　　Who　am　I　that　I　should　share　with　others〃

The　woman　interrupted　eagerly。

〃Ah；　you　are　jealous！〃　she　cried。　　〃Is　that　why　you　are　so　cruel？
But　when　I　tell　you　I　love　you；　and　only　you；　can　you　not　feel　it
is　the　truth？〃

The　young　man　frowned　unhappily。

〃My　duty；　mademoiselle！〃　he　stammered。

With　an　exclamation　of　anger　Marie　left　him。　　As　the　door　slammed
behind　her；　the　young　man　drew　a　deep　breath。　　On　his　face　was　the
expression　of　ineffable　relief。

In　the　hall　Marie　met　her　elderly　companion；　Bertha；　now　her
aunt；　Madame　Benet。

〃I　heard　you　quarrelling；〃　Bertha　protested。　　〃It　is　most　indiscreet。
It　is　not　in　the　part　of　the　Countess　d'Aurillac　that　she　makes　love
to　her　chauffeur。〃

Marie　laughed　noiselessly　and　drew　her　farther　down　the　hall。　　〃He
is　imbecile！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃He　will　kill　me　with　his　solemn　face
and　his　conceit。　　I　make　love　to　himyesthat　he　may　work　the
more　willingly。　　But　he　will　have　none　of　it。　　He　is　jealous　of　the
others。〃

Madame　Benet　frowned。

〃He　resents　the　others；〃　she　corrected。　　〃I　do　not　blame　him。　　He　is
a　gentleman！〃

〃And　the　others；〃　demanded　Marie；　〃were　they　not　of　the　most
noble　families　of　Rome？〃

〃I　am　old　and　I　am　ugly；〃　said　Bertha；　〃but　to　me　Anfossi　is
always　as　considerate　as　he　is　to　you　who　are　so　beautiful。〃

〃An　Italian　gentleman；〃　returned　Marie；　〃does　not　serve　in
Belgian　Congo　unless　it　isthe　choice　of　that　or　the　marble
quarries。〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　his　past　may　be；〃　sighed　Madame　Benet；
〃nor　do　I　ask。　　He　is　only　a　number；　as　you　and　I　are　only　numbers。
And　I　beg　you　to　let　us　work　in　harmony。　　At　such　a　time　your
love…affairs　threaten　our　safety。　　You　must　wait。〃

Marie　laughed　insolently。　　〃With　the　Du　Barry；〃　she　protested；　〃I
can　boast　that　I　wait　for　no　man。〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　older　woman；　〃you　pursue　him！〃

Marie　would　have　answered　sharply；　but　on　the　instant　her
interest　was　diverted。　　For　one　week；　by　day　and　night；　she　had
lived　in　a　world　peopled　only　by　German　soldiers。　　Beside　her
in　the　railroad　carriage；　on　the　station　platforms；　at　the　windows
of　the　trains　that　passed　the　one　in　which　she　rode；　at　the　grade
crossings；　on　the　bridges；　in　the　roads　that　paralleled　the　tracks；
choking　the　streets　of　the　villages　and　spread　over　the　fields　of
grain；　she　had　seen　only　the　gray…green　uniforms。　　Even　her
professional　eye　no　longer　distinguished　regiment　from　regiment；
dragoon　from　grenadier；　Uhlan　from　Hussar　or　Landsturm。
Stripes；　insignia；　numerals；　badges　of　rank；　had　lost　their　meaning。
Those　who　wore　them　no　longer　were　individuals。　　They　were　not
even　human。　　During　the　three　last　days　the　automobile；　like　a
motor…boat　fighting　the　tide；　had　crept　through　a　gray…green
river　of　men；　stained；　as　though　from　the　banks；　by　mud　and
yellow　clay。　　And　for　hours；　while　the　car　was　blocked；　and　in
fury　the　engine　raced　and　purred；　the　gray…green　river　had　rolled
past　her；　slowly　but　as　inevitably　as　lava　down　the　slope　of　a
volcano；　bearing　on　its　surface　faces　with　staring　eyes；　thousands
and　thousands　of　eyes；　some　fierce　and　bloodshot；　others　filled
with　weariness；　homesickness；　pain。　　At　night　she　still　saw　them：
the　white　faces　under　the　sweat　and　dust；　the　eyes　dumb；　inarticulate；
asking　the　answer。　　She　had　been　suffocated　by　German　soldiers；　by
the　mass　of　them；　engulfed　and　smothered；　she　had　stifled　in　a　land
inhabited　only　by　gray…green　ghosts。

And　suddenly；　as　though　a　miracle　had　been　wrought；　she　saw　upon
the　lawn；　riding　toward　her；　a　man　in　scarlet；　blue；　and　silver。　　One
man　riding　alone。

Approaching　with　confidence；　but　alert；　his　reins　fallen；　his　hands
nursing　his　carbine；　his　eyes　searched　the　shadows　of　the　trees；　the
empty　windows；　even　the　sun…swept　sky。　　His　was　the　new　face　at
the　door；　the　new　step　on　the　floor。　　And　the　spy　knew　had　she
beheld　an　army　corps　it　would　have　been　no　more　significant；
no　more　menacing；　than　the　solitary　chasseur　a　cheval　scouting
in　advance　of　the　enemy。

〃We　are　saved！〃　exclaimed　Marie；　with　irony。　　〃Go　quickly；〃　she
commanded；　〃to　the　bedroom　on　the　second　floor　that　opens　upon
the　staircase；　so　that　you　can　see　all　who　pass。　　You　are　too　ill
to　travel。　　They　must　find　you　in　bed。〃

〃And　you？〃　said　Bertha。

〃I；〃　cried　Marie　rapturously；　〃hasten　to　welcome　our　preserver！〃

The　preserver　was　a　peasant　lad。　　Under　the　white　dust　his　cheeks
were　burned　a　brown…red；　his　eyes；　honest　and　blue；　through　much
staring　at　the　skies　and　at　horizon　lines；　were　puckered　and
encircled　with　tiny　wrinkles。　　Responsibility　had　made　him　older
than　his　years；　and　in　speech　brief。　　With　the　beautiful　lady　who
with　tears　of　joy　ran　to　greet　him；　and　who　in　an　ecstasy　of
happiness　pressed　her　cheek　against　the　nose　of　his　horse；　he　was
unimpressed。　　He　returned　to　her　her　papers　and　gravely　echoed　her
answers　to　his　questions。　　〃This　chateau；〃　he　repeated；　〃was
occupied　by　their　General　Staff；　they　have　left　no　wounded　here；
you　saw　the　last　of　them　pass　a　half…hour　since。〃　　He　gathered　up
his　reins。

Marie　shrie